Leg hinge for ironing tables



1 Jan- 1 19 1 D. J. MUNSON 2,968,059

I LEG HINGE FOR IRONING TABLES Q Filed April 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l4- //0 I II nllll 1]- lllHll'" -||||m|i" 1m] INVENTOR. DONALD J: MrmsouBY naw Q4 Arrow/am Jan. 17, 1961 D. J. MUNSON 2,968,059

LEG HINGE FOR IRONING TABLES Filed April 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent O LEG HINGE FOR IRONING TABLES 7 Donald J. Munson,Minneapolis, Minn., assignor toThe J. R. Clark Company, Spring Park,Minn., a corpora tion of Minnesota FiledApr.."7, 1958,;Ser; No. 726,914

1 Claim; (61'. 169*].72)

This invention relates generally to: ironing tables and moreparticularly to means for attaching the table legv eliminatingthenecessity of hinge pins, rivets'or the like and enabling theconnection to be effected with a minimum of materials and labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge for pivotallyconnecting an ironing table leg to the table top which. incurs a minimumof operating friction to virtually eliminate part deterioration causedbyflexing, twisting or crystallizing such as occurs where hinge pins orrivets; are used. 7

With the above objects in view the invention broadly comprises atransverse element mounted on the underside of the table top and havinga plurality of transversely aligned slots therein, an extension on theupper end of the table leg lying under and parallel to said element andhaving a plurality of aligned teeth extending upwardly therefrom, saidteeth having lateral projections whereby as the extension is movedupwardly to insert the teeth into said slots and then shifted laterallythe teeth will form an interlocking connection with the element, and alockingrtongue on the extension adapted to be moved into lockingengagement with the element to prohibit return shifting movement of theextension to a position where the teeth may be withdrawn from the slots.

The above mentioned and other objects of the invention will be broughtto light during the course of the following specification, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a table in erect condition with the legs attached to thetable top by the means herein disclosed.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the table with portions of the top broken awayfor better observation of the hinge connections of the legs to the top.

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the top and the upper leg portions.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the top takenalong line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the front leg hinge.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference characterswill be used to denote like parts or structural features in thedifferent views. The table top is denoted generally at 10. It comprisesa frame made up of longitudinal members 11 and transverse ribs 12, 13,and 14 connected at their outer ends by a marginal rim 15 and over whichlies a sheet 16 of flattened expanded metal or other rigid materialadapted to provide a suitable ironing surface.

The front and rear supporting legs are respectively designated at 17 and18. These legs are in the form of singular metal tubes arranged in alongitudinally crossing relation under the top 10 and being pivotallyinterconnected as at 19 at their point of crossing. Each leg carries across foot 20. at its, lower end for transverse engagement with thefloor. The upper ends of legs 17 and 18 are pivotally connected to, theunderside of the top 10, one on a sliding pivot, for movement of thelegs about their interconnection at 19 between erect and collapsedpositions against the top. These pivotal connections will now bedescribed indetail.

The rearmost transverse frame member 14 is an up} Wardly openingchannel. The bottom wall of the mejrn her is provided with a series oftransversely aligned and spaced slots 21 which extend longitudinally ofthe channel, Interspaced between two of the slots an enlargedrectangular opening 22' is provided. At its upper end the front leg 17carries an integral transverseextension 2 4. This extension has aplurality of hinge teeth 25 extending upwardly from the rear upper edgethereof. These teeth are aligned transversely and are spaced for upwardinsertion through the respective slots 21. Each of the teeth ZShas alateral projection 26 which. extends over the body of member24 in spacedrelation. Accordingly as the teeth are slipped upwardly through theslots 21 andthe member 24 shifted laterally the teeth portions. 26,willv engage over the bottom of channel 14 locking extension member 24to the channel. Extension 24 also has a locking tongue 27 along its rearedge in transverse alignment with teeth 25. This tongue is formed inthemanufacture to. angle forwardly as in Fig. 5 to allow the extension 24vto be shiftedlaterally during the attachment operation. It" is sopositioned intermediate teeth 25 as to be moved into vertical alignmentwith the opening 22'" when the extension has been shifted laterally toengage projections 26 over the bottom wall of member 14. Tongue 27 isthen bent upwardly into the opening 22 to positively lock the extension24 against return lateral movement relative to member 14 to a positionwhere the teeth 25 may be withdrawn from the slots 21.

The positions of the extension 24 relative to channel 14 before andafter the mounting are respectively shown in full and broken lines inFig. 5. The slots 21 are of sufficient width to allow the teeth 25rocking movement therein in a fore and aft direction relative to theboard. The connection between the members 24 and 14 accordingly providesa fixed hinge connection for folding the leg 17 toward and away from theboard about a transverse axis.

The hinge connection for the rear leg 18 is similar to that justdescribed. However, here the construction provides for slidability ofthe hinge longitudinally of the board 10. A pair of guide rods 28 aremounted to extend longitudinally under the surface member 16 intransversely spaced parallelism by having their ends rigidly secured tothe front and center transverse frame members 12 and 13. A slide member29 in the form of a transversely extending upwardly opening channel hasoutwardly opening notches 30 formed at the ends of the side walls forreception of the guide rods 28 (Fig. 4). Slide 29 is thus mounted on therods for fore and aft sliding movement along the underside of the top10. A latch bar 31 is connected to the member 29 and extends forwardlythrough an opening in the frame member 12. The bar is provided with aseries of openings 32 which are engageable by a I spring held lockingelement 33 mounted on member 12 upwardly from the extension 35 andhaving lateral projections 38 adapted to extend over the bottom wall ofmember 29 when the extension is laterally shifted (Fig. 4). Slide 29 isprovided with an opening 39, similar to opening 22, intermediate theslots 36 through which the locking tongue 40 on extension 35 may be bentupwardly to lock the extension against lateral movement.

Projections 26 and 38 extend in the same lateral direction allowing themembers 24 and 35 of the preassembled leg structure to be placed intoposition and shifted simultaneously into operative position prior to theupward bending of the locking tongues 27 and 40. There is, of course,sufiicient clearance in slots 36 to allow the teeth 37 fore and aftrocking movement. Slots 21 and slots 36 are parallel so that the axis ofthe two hinges formed are parallel.

It will be understood that the axis of pivot 19 is parallel to the twohinge axes connecting the legs to the table top so that as the slide 29is moved forwardly the legs will pivot about their hinges and pivot 19to a collapsed position against the underside of the top. Conversely, asthe slide is moved rearwardly the legs will swing to an erectedcondition.

The hinges formed by the teeth locking over the connected channelbottoms are extremely simple to manufacture and assemble. Moreover theyare durable and of such simplicity as to render mechanical failurevirtually impossible. The hinge construction thus economically andeifectively carries out the aforementioned objectives.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in thestructure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within thespirit and scope of the appended claim. Having now therefore fullyillustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A hinge construction comprising a first element having a portion ofsheet material provided with a series of elongated slots arranged inlongitudinal alignment, a second element having a series of spaced fiatteeth projecting outwardly therefrom in alignment on a common plane,said teeth being spaced apart equally with the spacing of the slots andeach having a dimension longitudinally of their alignment which is lessthan the length of the slots allowing the teeth to be inserted into therespective slots in the first element, the teeth having planarunidirectional projections at their extended ends adapted to hook behindsaid sheet material when the second element is shifted longitudinally ofthe slots after such insertion to hold the elements together againstseparation in a relatively swingable condition about an axis extendingalong said slots, said first element portion having an opening alignedwith the slots which is wider than the slots crosswise of the directionof such alignment, and said second element having a locking tabextending therefrom which is aligned with the teeth and movable betweenan inner position and an extended position, said tab positioned on saidelement longitudinally of the teeth to oppose the said opening in thefirst element after said longitudinal shifting to enter said openingwhen moved to its extended position to lock said second element againstreturn shifting movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS932,601 Corbett Aug. 31, 1909 1,159,995 Riley et a1. Nov. 9, 19151,831,988 Aldeen Nov, 17, 1931 2,332,017 Sedgwick Oct. 19, 19432,737,739 Hood Mar. 13, 1956

